Storage and updating of electronic documents in aircraft

Abstract

A system for maintaining documents relating to aircraft. A first set of documents is carried onboard an aircraft, in computer-readable form. The set includes (1) the aircraft maintenance manual, (2) the aircraft maintenance log, (3) the aircraft configuration log, (4) task cards, (5) pilot logbooks, or any combination of these. Copies of some, or all, of the documents in the first set are maintained, in computer-readable format, at a ground-based location. As operation of the aircraft occurs, changes will occur in either, or both, sets of documents. The changes are then copied into the other set, to maintain consistency.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system, comprising: 
 a) an aircraft;    b) a maintenance manual for the aircraft, stored in non-human-readable form aboard the aircraft; and    c) means for displaying the maintenance manual to a human.    
     
     
         2 . A system, comprising: 
 a) an aircraft;    b) a first maintenance manual for the aircraft, stored in computer-readable form aboard the aircraft; and    c) means for displaying the maintenance manual to a human.    
     
     
         3 . System according to  claim 2 , and further comprising: 
 d) a ground-based computer; and    e) a second maintenance manual for the aircraft, stored in computer-readable form in the ground-based computer.    
     
     
         4 . System according to  claim 3 , and further comprising: 
 f) means for causing changes made in the second maintenance manual to be replicated in the first maintenance manual.    
     
     
         5 . A system, comprising: 
 a) an aircraft;    b) computer-readable memory, carried by the aircraft, which stores content containing at least one document in the following group; 
 i) maintenance manual for the aircraft;  
 ii) maintenance log of the aircraft;  
 iii) configuration log of the aircraft; and  
   c) means for enabling a crew member of the aircraft to read the content.    
     
     
         6 . System according to  claim 5 , wherein the group further contains 
 iv) pilot logbooks.    
     
     
         7 . System according to  claim 6 , wherein the group further contains 
 v) taskcards.    
     
     
         8 . System according to  claim 7 , and further comprising: 
 d) means for receiving data from a remote source, and modifying the content, using the data.    
     
     
         9 . System according to  claim 7 , and further comprising: 
 d) means for updating the content, in response to messages received from an external source.    
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising: 
 a) onboard an aircraft, maintaining a maintenance manual for the aircraft in computer-readable form; and    b) at intervals, modifying the manual.    
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 10 , and further comprising: 
 c) onboard the aircraft, maintaining a maintenance log of the aircraft in computer-readable form.    
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 11 , and further comprising: 
 d) onboard the aircraft, maintaining a configuration log of the aircraft, in computer-readable form.    
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising the following steps: 
 a) maintaining, onboard an aircraft, a first set of documents in computer-readable form, said first set of documents comprising one or more of the following: 
 i) a maintenance manual for the aircraft;  
 ii) a maintenance log of the aircraft;  
 iii) a configuration log of the aircraft; and  
 iv) pilot logbooks;  
   b) causing alterations to occur in the first set;    c) maintaining, at an earth-based site, a second set of documents in computer-readable form, said second set of documents comprising one or more of the following: 
 i) a maintenance manual for the aircraft;  
 ii) a maintenance log of the aircraft;  
 iii) a configuration log of the aircraft; and  
 iv) pilot logbooks; and  
   d) replicating the alterations into the second set of documents.